Shotgun shell holder

ABSTRACT

A shotgun shell holder includes a mounting plate with a plurality of distributed small cylindrical supports located in side-by-side alignment. The plate is provided with one or more clip means which permit mounting of the unit onto the shooter&#39;&#39;s belt adjacent his side. A plurality of tubular members are mounted one each in the several supports and each will hold a number of the shells to permit the support of a significant number thereof. The inner diameter of each tubular member essentially corresponds to the diameter of the usual shell which has an end cap projecting outwardly to define a small lip resting on a lower inner projection on the tubular member, with the lowermost shell depending therefrom. The lower end of the tubular member is provided with a pair of opposed longitudinal slots to form a pair of resilient arms gripping the shell and responsive to a manual force applied to the exposed depending shell.

[ Nov. 5, 1974 1 SHOTGUN SHELL HOLDER [76] Inventor: Raymond M. Hurd, 2548 S. 78th St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53219 22 Filed: May 1, 1972 [21] Appl.No.:249,273

[52] 11.8. CI. 224/16 [51] Int. Cl. F42b 39/00 [58] Field of Search 224/16, 15, 507 L, 5 D, 224/26 R, 13, 17; 221/307, 310

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 40,432 1/1910 Seely....'. 224/15 287,804 11/1883 Collins 224/16 466,298 12/1891 Dean 224/16 995,086 6/1911 Parrett... 224/16 1,482,491 2/1924 Vogel 224/17 X 1,551,061 8/1925 Silcott.... 224/16 2,590,154 3/1952 Burns 224/5 D 2,861,728 11/1958 La Vine.. 224/16 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 17,654

8/1887 Great Britain 224/17 Primary ExaminerRobert J. Spar Assistant ExaminerJerold M. Forsberg Attorney, Agent, or FirmAndrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall [57] ABSTRACT A shotgun shell holder includes a mounting plate with a plurality of distributed small cylindrical supports located in side-by-side alignment. The plate is provided with one or more clip means which permit mounting of the unit onto the shooters belt adjacent his side. A plurality of tubular members are mounted one each in the several supports and each will hold a number of the shells to permit the support of a significant number thereof. The inner diameter of each tubular member essentially corresponds to the diameter of the usual shell which has an end cap projecting outwardly to define a small lip resting on a lower inner projection on the tubular member, with the lowermost shell depending therefrom. The lower end of the tubular member is provided with a pair of opposed longitudinal slots to form a pair of resilient arms gripping the shell and responsive to a manual force applied to the exposed depending shell.

SHOTGUN SHELL HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION the shells are generally retained in a suitable vest type apparel or the like having a side pocket or pockets within which to hold the loaded shells. A back pouch is provided within which to deposit spent casings. Although such systems permit the necessary manipulation, they are not convenient and there is a need for a simple and reliable shotgun shell holder when a substantialy number of shells are involved.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION I The present innvention is particularly directed to a shotgun shell holder which can be releasably attached to the body of the shooter and which locates and supports a plurality of shotgun shells for easy and convenient sequential removal.

Generally, in accordance with the present invention, the holder for a shotgun shellcomprises a tubular member having length equal to a substanital multiple of the shells. The inner diameter of the tubular member essentially corresponds to the diameter of the usual shell and cap enclosure, which cap projects outwardly to define a small lip extending radially outwardly of the main tubular body of the shell. The tubular member includes a lower inner projection which restricts the bottom opening of the tubular member to that generally corresponding to the diameter of the shells tubular body. Thus the shells may be stacked in the tubular member with the lowermost shell projecting outwardly and with the cap or closure member resting on the lower inner projection of the tubular member. The lower end of the tubular member is formed to flex or expand outwardly when a manual force is applied to the exposed depending shell. Thus, the lower end of the tubular member may, conveniently, be formed with one or more longitudinal slits extending upwardly from the lower or bottom end of the member and with the member formed of a suitable material such as plastic which will outwardly permit ready removal of the shells.

Generally, a plurality of tubular members will be provided each of which will hold a number of the shells to permit the support of a significant number of shells. In a preferred construction, a mounting unit such as a flat strip is provided with a plurality of circumferentially distributed small tubular supports. Within each support one of the tubular members is releasably mounted with the split end disposed below the mounting strip. The element is further provided with one or more clip means which permit mounting of the unit onto the shooters belt adjacent his side. This is desirable to permit the convenient mounting and removal of the unit.

shells should be conveniently available to the shooter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The drawing furnished herewith illustrates the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the subject invention and discloses the above advantages and features as well as others which will be readily understood from the following description.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a holder constructed in accordance with the present invention with parts broken away and sectioned to clearly show the detail of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken generally on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and more clearly illustrating the construction of the illustrated embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2 to more clearly show the detail of the constructions.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shotgun shell holder 1 constructed in accordance with the present invention is releasably attached to a belt 2 of a shooter, not shown. A plurality of shotgun shells 3 are releasably disposed within the holder 1 for individual sequential removal as hereinafter de-. scribed. Generally, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a plurality of tubular members 4 are releasably attached to a mounting member 5 and each is similarly constructed to hold a similar plurality of shotgun shells 3. For example, a convenient number for practical application would be five shells per tubular member. The lowermost shell 3 projects downwardly and is exposed for grasping by the shooters hand and is removable from the corresponding tubular member 4 by a slight downward pull or sidewise pivot force exerted on the shell by the shooter. Thus, each shell 3 is a conventional unit having a tubular body portion 6 within which the explosive and shot is housed with the one end closed by a cap 7. In accordance with conventional practice, the end of the cap 7 projects slightly radially outwardly of the tubular body 6 and defines a small lip 8 which, in the present invention, defines a retaining means for retaining the lowermost shell 3 with a tubular member 4.

More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, each of the tubular members 4 is similarly constructed as a constant diameter member and having an inner diameter essentially corresponding to the diameter of the shotgun cap 7. The upper end of the tubular member 4 is freely open while the lower or bottom end of the tubular member is formed with a small radially inwardly projecting lip 9 which reduces the opening at the lower end generally to correspond to the diameter of the tubular body portion 6 of the shell 3. Thus, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the lowermost shell 3 is retained within the tubular member 4 by the lip 8 of the cap 7 resting on the lip 9 of the tubular member 4.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the tubular member 4 is formed with a plurality of longitudinal slots or slits 10, shown as a pair of diametrically oppositely located, projecting upwardly from the bottom end of the tubular member. Further, the tubular members 4 are formed of a relatively thin walled material such as a plastic, metal or the like which permits limited flexing of the lower end between the slits 10. When a downward pull force or a pivotal force is exerted on the exposed portion of the shell 3 the lower slitted end of the tubular member 4 will resiliently expand to allow the passage of the shell cap 7 and removal of the shell. The slitted portion of member 4 will immediately retract to the normal position to support the next shell in an exposed position. Applicant has found that this provides a very convenient constructron.

Although the several tubes can be integrally or separately interconnected in any suitable manner, they are preferable releasably interconnected to the mounting means to permit replacement in the event a single one of the tubular members is damaged.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the mounting means 5 is in the form of mounting plate or strap which is constructed for releasable interconnection to a shooters belt. For example, the strap may be a plastic member, slightly curved, as shown in FIG. 3, to fit about the side of the shooter, or it may be formed of a somewhat flexible plastic to permit conforming to the side of the shooter. A pair of laterally spaced rings 11 are secured to the plate as by a pair of eyelets 12 embedded in the back of the plate 5. The rings 11 are releasably slipped over a pair of the clip members 13 which are clipped over the shooters belt to thereby releasably attach the holder 1 to the belt 2.

The individual tubular members 4 are releasably attached to the mounting strap 5 by suitable small cylindrical supports 14 which are integrally formed with or otherwise secured to the strap 5 in suitable spaced relation. Each of the supports 14 has an inner diameter generally corresponding to the outer diameter of the members 4. The upper end of each member 4 is enlarged to define a support ledge 15 which rests upon the upper end of the cylindrical support.

In addition, the inner wall of the support is shown with a longitudinal groove 16 extending downwardly from the upper edge and terminating in a semispherical recess 17. The tubular member 4 includes a corresponding semispherical protrusion 18 which mates with the recess 17 to releasably lock the tube member 4 within the corresponding support 14 and the carriage or plate 5.

In addition, a pair of extra or spare shell tubes 18a may be provided on the front of the supports 14 to each hold a single shell or the like. The shells may be retained by a slight press fit or the like.

Thus in operation, the holder 1 is filled with a suitable number of shells and is releasably attached to the shooter's belt 2. He removes each of the shells as required by pulling downwardly on an exposed shell, or pivoting the shell as at 21. He can, conveniently, begin at one end of the holder 5 and remove all shells from the first member 4 and then move progressively to the succeeding members 4 until all of the shells have been 5 ent.

The holder 1 can, of course, be used to support the spent shells for subsequent reloading. Thus, the shooter in competitive shooting and the like removes a spent cartridge from the gun and can place it in the top of the tubular member 4 from which removed. The shooter can readily identify the spent shell depending from the member 4 by the expansion of the lower end of the shell. In shooting, the shooter moves between five stations at each of which five shots are taken. By providing five tube members 4, the depending spent shell in a tube member provides a count on the number of shots taken at that station and the shooter then moves on to the next station.

Further, the tubular members 4 are shown of a somewhat greater length than five shells and in particular of a length to permit holding of five shells within the member 4. The holder may thereby be employed to store and transport the shells by closing of the opposite ends of the tubes 4 in any suitable manner. For example, releasable end caps 19 and 20, of which only an end portion is shown, may be provided for releasable attachment to the opposite ends of the assembled and filled tubes 4. Of course, individual tube closure members may also be provided.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims, particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A shotgun shell holder for releasably supporting a plurality of shotgun shells having tubular bodies with end closures defining shell lips projecting radially outwardly of the bodies, comprising a plurality of substantially rigid tubes connected to each other, each tube being of a length equal to a substantial multiple of the shell length and having an inner diameter essentially corresponding to the diameter of the end closure to accommodate a plurality of said shells in coaxial stacked relation with each other and said tube, each tube including a lower end portion having an inner tube lip projecting inwardly to restrict the bottom opening in accordance with the diameter of the tubular body which supports the shell depending from the tube with the shell lip engaging the tube lip, said lower end portion of the member being resiliently flexible and permitting manual removal of the exposed shell from the lower end with the next succeeding shell dropping downwardly into the exposed retained position, and

mounting means including a base support plate having means for attachment to the waist of the operator and a plurality of side-by-side tubular supports which are substantially shorter than said tubes, said tubes being releasably mounted in each of said supports for releasably attaching said tubes to the body of a shooter with the lower end of the tubular member located below the waist line for convenient grasping of the exposed shell by the hand of the operator.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of each of said tubes includes a plurality of longitudinal slits extending upwardly from the bottom end of the tubes.

3. The holder of claim 2 wherein said tubes and base support plate include interengaging detent means to provide said releasable mounting of the tubes.

4. The holder of claim 1 having short rigid tubular members secured to said base support plate for supporting extra shells. 

1. A shotgun shell holder for releasably supporting a plurality of shotgun shells having tubular bodies with end closures defining shell lips projecting radially outwardly of the bodies, comprising a plurality of substantially rigid tubes connected to each other, each tube being of a length equal to a substantial multiple of the shell length and having an inner diameter essentially corresponding to the diameter of the end closure to accommodate a plurality of said shells in coaxial stacked relation with each other and said tube, each tube including a lower end portion having an inner tube lip projecting inwardly to restrict the bottom opening in accordance with the diameter of the tubular body which supports the shell depending from the tube with the shell lip engaging the tube lip, said lower end portion of the member being resiliently flexible and permitting manual removal of the exposed shell from the lower end with the next succeeding shell dropping downwardly into the exposed retained position, and mounting means including a base support plate having means for attachment to the waist of the operator and a plurality of side-by-side tubular supports which are substantially shorter than said tubes, said tubes being releasably mounted in each of said supports for releasably attaching said tubes to the body of a shooter with the lower end of the tubular member located below the waist line for convenient grasping of the exposed shell by the hand of the operator.
 2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of each of said tubes includes a plurality of longitudinal slits extending upwardly from the bottom end of the tubes.
 3. The holder of claim 2 wherein said tubes and base support plate include interengaging detent means to provide said releasable mounting of the tubes.
 4. The holder of claim 1 having short rigid tubular members secured to said base support plate for supporting extra shells. 